Huge Medical Bills You Shouldn't Pay Aug 30, 2008
"There's no explanation for some of them except purposeful balance billing or overcharging," Blumenthal said. "If you don't fight, you are going to lose," Burdick said. (CBS News)
This is one health-related bill that lawmakers should reject Aug 24, 2008
Too often, patients wrongly end up getting billed for the difference (a practice called "balance billing") -- even though they've already paid their insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays. That's why we support a new regulation championed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Department of Managed Health Care that would ban the practice of balance billing for ER care ... Balance billing results from one of two things:* The insurer is failing to pay the "reasonable and customary" value of... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
California sues over practice of 'balance billing' Jul 2, 2008
com: California: California sues over practice of 'balance billing ... The practice - known as "balance billing - is becoming increasingly common in California. The Department of Managed Health Care has banned balance billing, but regulations aren't expected to take effect until the fall, at the earliest.That agency's director, Cindy Ehnes, said Prime Healthcare Services Inc. is "the largest example of this egregious practice we've seen to date, and it must be stopped. (Fresno Bee -- State)
Sick system Jun 9, 2008
Murkowski said some doctors are pushing what they call a "balance billing" approach -- allowing patients who want to, and can afford to, to pay whatever balance is left over after Medicare reimburses the physician. That is currently not allowed. (Anchorage Daily News)
Health care billing fight is looming May 17, 2008
The proposal, by the Department of Managed Health Care, is the agency's third attempt in two years to outlaw so-called balance billing, which turns patients into pawns in payment disputes ... Cindy Ehnes, director of the managed care agency, said Prime's widespread balance billing put a face on a practice that receives little public attention despite being controversial ... Balance billing surfaces most often when emergency room patients receive care outside of their insurance company's network... (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Alvarado Hospital loses dispute with Blue Shield May 17, 2008
But some physicians and hospitals say so-called balance billing is their only leverage when insurers refuse to pay a fair amount for services. When: 10 a.m. Monday. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Follow the Castonguay model Feb 21, 2008
One of the first effects of the passage of the Canada Health Act in 1984 was the outlawing of users fees, a practice typically known as extra billing or balance billing. This was heralded as a great equalizer in access to health services. (National Post)
Dispute over who pays for medical services Nov 19, 2007
The practice is known as balance billing ... And it's not just emergency room doctors who are balance billing ... Kathy Graham - a spokeswoman for Sutter Health, which manages Marin General and Novato Community hospitals - declined to supply any information on whether the two local hospitals are balance billing. (Marin Independent-Journal)
Doctors seek fair hospital pay Sep 26, 2006
Doctors who oppose the ban say the practice, known as balance billing, is often their best means of pressuring health insurers to pay them a fair amount for their services ... At the request of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the agency began crafting regulations in July that would forbid balance billing among emergency room doctors ... Balance billing can leave patients confused and afraid of being reported to collection agencies if they refuse to pay the bill. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Letters: Integrity, flood control, etc. Aug 30, 2006
Why did the California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), the managed care doctors paid to control expenses by for-profit HMOs, run a full-page ad on Aug. 24 in The Bee, praising the governor for prohibiting balance billing for emergency care when HMOs don't pay their bills. Is it because of their professed concern for protecting patients, or because emergency docs are forcing HMOs to pay for emergency care, and these subcontracting doctors would rather keep the money. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
'Billing abuses' Aug 4, 2006
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has never opposed legislation that would legitimately protect consumers from balance billing [story July 26. The administration firmly maintains the state has legal authority to prohibit balance billing, and per this position, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) intends to file an amicus brief in the state Supreme Court defending this authority ... The governor took action on balance billing because after two years of stakeholder meetings, court action and... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Letters: The gathering Mideast storm Jul 31, 2006
Re "ER doctors' fees targeted by governor," July 26: The governor has never opposed legislation that would legitimately protect consumers from balance billing. The administration firmly maintains that the state has the legal authority to prohibit balance billing, and per this position, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) intends to file an amicus brief in the California Supreme Court defending this authority ... The governor took action on balance billing because after two years of... (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
Gov. Seeks to Protect Patients From Medical Billing Tactic Jul 27, 2006
The practice called "balance billing" often involves doctors and hospitals that claim that they are receiving inadequate payment from health insurers and then ask patients to pay the balance ... Under balance billing, the physician would then bill the patient the outstanding $500 even though the full cost was supposed to be covered by the patient's health plan ... In addition, state regulators say that balance billing is illegal under California law. (Los Angeles Times)
ER doctors' fees targeted by governor Jul 26, 2006
The practice, known as "balance billing," usually occurs when a patient enrolled in a managed-health care plan gets emergency care at a hospital that is not part of the health insurer's network ... The Schwarzenegger administration believes state law already bans balance billing. (Sacramento Bee -- Politics)
